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Offshore development helping drive Optimarin growth

The recovery of the offshore shipping
segment is playing a key role in driving the revenues of ballast water
treatment (BWT) specialist Optimarin to new heights. The Stavanger,
Norway-based business, which has focused exclusively on BWT for the last 25
years, has just signed a number of fleet agreements, including a contract with
Island Offshore for 19 systems, doubling its order intake year on year.

Preferred position

“Optimarin has long held the position of
the preferred supplier to the offshore segment, so the fact that the industry
is recovering – with fewer vessels laid up – is a very positive development for
us,” comments Tore Andersen, EVP Sales, Optimarin.

“We are naturally delighted to secure
the contract to retrofit our simple, reliable and market proven UV systems
throughout the remainder of the Island Offshore fleet, having delivered our
first unit to this industry leader back in 2013. And this is just the tip of
the iceberg. There are a number of other respected owners in the segment that
have either signed, or in the final stages of negotiating, fleet agreements.”

He continues: “Offshore is a hardworking
sector, with advanced vessels offering limited space for installations. Our
modular, easy to install and globally compliant technology is tailor made for
these demanding environments – it’s very gratifying to see how many leading
shipowners and operators appreciate that fact.”

Sales catalyst

However, Andersen is keen to stress that
the increased order flow is not confined to a single segment. The IMO D2
ballast water compliance deadline, coming into effect on 8 September, is, he
says, pushing owners to make decisions on BWT – and pushing them faster than
ever before, with the time from initial enquiries to final orders greatly
decreasing.

“The market is picking up across the
board,” Andersen notes. “Both in terms of segments – with recent orders
arriving at Optimarin spanning everything from cruise vessels to cement
carriers – but also geographically. For example, Greek owners are now
contracting an increasing number of retrofits with us (with a significant fleet
agreement signed in the past few weeks) while orders with Asian yards, US
operators and key Northern European shipowners are very healthy.

“The IMO deadline is undoubtedly a
catalyst here,” he says. “There are only a finite number of preferred
manufacturers, dry docks and engineering companies for installations, so the
smart owners are moving quickly to avoid potential bottlenecks. There are tens
of thousands of vessels mandated for systems, so you don’t want to be the last
in the queue, struggling to get the service, systems and quality your ships
demand! It pays to take action now.”

Aftermarket boost

Optimarin has now sold around 850 of its
USCG and IMO compliant Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS), with over 600 installed
and operational worldwide, of which almost 50% are retrofits. The firm has also
doubled its aftermarket sales year on year across the first half of 2019.

In conclusion, Andersen states that 2019
will be “without question Optimarin’s best year in business.”